Electric flashing device



Aug. 24,1926. 1,596,899

A. SPRUNG ET AL ELECTRIC FLASHING DEVI CE Filed Feb. 6. 1924 INVENTOR5 Mum L RNEY' Patented Aug. 24, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

m BPBUIG, OI BROOKLYN, AND DAVID E. DABRIN, '01 NEW ROCHELLE, 111W YORK.

morale rnasnme nsvrcn.

lflillclfloll sued l'ebrury a, 1924. semi Io. 000,970.

1 device in which the periodicity of light emanations can be efl'ectively controlled.

A-'fui'-.ther aim is in the provision of an ex-- tremely durable device, practically frictionless, unusual in the simplicity, and, due

to the substantially indestructible nature of the contact making element, may be depended upon to 0 rate .at a predetermined rate of speed continuousl for a long period of time without persona attention.

These and other important aims, objects and purposes, which will later appear, are

accomplished by the novel construction, com

bination and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and shown in the accompanying drawing, ,forminga material part of this disclosure, and in which Figu're l is afront elevational view of the operative mechanism, in an embodiment'of the invention, the same being shown in a normal position, the electric circuit being closed.

Fi re 2 is a similar view of the same but showing the cuit is open.

Figure 3 1s a side view of Figure A Figure 4'is an enlarged plan view of the position of parts when the circontact makin and breaking device in dey tail, parts being broken away .to disclose the construction. a Y

Referring more in detail to the drawing, the numeral 10; designates the support or base late to which the mechanism is at tache this plate being of non-conducting or dielectric material and of such shape and 45 dimension as may be desirable.

Anelectrical current, from any convenient source is indicated .as being conducted to -tro-magnet having magnetizable heads or I end lates 22 and 23 held by an axial bolt.

- 24, te lower. head 23 having a' flanged base 25 containing an arcuate slot 26, permittin adjustment on the clamp screw 27 by whic 1 it is held to the plate 10, the magnet being connected in rallel with the lamp 16.

The upper ead 22 is provided with a. similar but narrower base member 28 of considerable length, its u per end being pivoted to the upper central portion of the plate -10 by the screw 29. p

A third conductor 30 leads from the binding post 18 to another binding t 31 on the plate 10, which can be place in circuit with the binding post 13 in the manner further described. 7

At one side of the pivoted magnet base 28, a pair of posts 32 are fixedly set in the plate 10 and rigidly carried by them are a pair of support plates 33 arranged in spaced parallel relation to each other and from the base plate 10. v I

Pivoted between the plates 33, on the pin 34 is a flat endulum 35 adapted to be attracted, in t e manner of an armature, b the magnet 20 when the latter is ener 'z and fixed on the upper end of the pen ulum 35 is a curved stri 36 having inturned terminals 37, resemb ing in general apearance the escapement clickof a pendulum controlled clock.

Another pin 38, carried between the support plates 33, near their u per ,ends, acts.

as a pivot for .an oscillatab e bar 40 made of non-conducting material, its ends extendin uniformly outward from its pivoted 1 oint and its lower surface normally clear- 7 1n the ends 37 of the curved strip 36.

ounted on the upper 'surface of. the bar 40, near its ends, are opposed snap sockets 41 and 42 respectively, in electrics enga ment'with the binding posts 13 and 31 y coiled flexible connections '43 .and 44 ar-- ranged'to permit the bar 40 to tilt without interference.

A tube 45, preferably of glass, is pro- .vided with sealed end ca 5 46 and 47 through which extend con uctors 48 an 49, the former of which has its inner-end 51 positioned substantially central of the tube 45.

The other conductor 49 has itsinner end I 53 disposed substantially in a plane tr ns.

wire 11 to the binding post 13, is conducted by. the coil 43 to the clip 41 in electrical contact with the cap 46 to the-conductor 48 and its terminal 51, v

The mercury 54 conveys the current to the terminal 53 and conductor 49 to the cap 47, in electrical contact with the clip 42 and thence by the'wire 44 to binding post 31, from which] current is conveyed by the wire to the binding post 18.

From the post 18 current is conducted by the wire 17 to energize the lamp 16, thence by wire 15 topost 14 and returned to its source by wire 12,

Current is also conducted from the post 16 by conductor 21, to energize the magnet 20 and returned. by wire 19 to post 14 engaging the return wire 12.

ihus when the lam I 16 glows the mag net 20 will be energize causing it to attract the endulum armature bringing the end of tie strip 36, adjacent the magnet, to

- strike the bar 46 causing it to tilt on the pivot 38 (see i. re 2) and the' mercury 54'to flow into tie lower end of the tube, breaking the circuit between the terminals 51 and 53,'thus cuttin oii current to the lamp and magnet simultaneously.

Thereupon the weight of the armature 35 moves it by gravity into the position shown in Figure 1 and the sequence of operation is again renewed Means for increasing "or decreasing the speed or time limit of operation areprovided for by either changing the resistance of the electro-magnet 20 by adjusting the magnet on the pivot 29 towards or away from, the armature so as to strengthen or weaken its puiL The strength of the magnet may also be changed by the inter-position of a resistance in the circuit or by moving its iron core reiative to the magnet coil, or by substituting a coil of diiierent resistance.

Obviously changing the weight ofthe pendulum armature, or the distance between its ivotai oint and the electro-magnet wou d have t' e efi ect of controlling the rate of operation.

It is to be noted that the absence of springs, durability of circuit making medium, freedom from friction and simplicity of parts, offer special advantages in producing an intermittently lighted signal of absolute reliability.

Although the foregoing is descriptive of I the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent that minor changes may be made in its construction, without the exercise of invention or conflicting with the scope of the claims hereto appended.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an automatic circuit breaker, the combination of an electro-magnet, a pendant bar armature pivoted to swing towards the side of said magnet by attraction and away by gravity, means actuated by said armature vfor intermittently openin and closing the circuit, and means for adjusting said magnet with respect to the armature.

2. In an automatic circuit breaker, the combination of an electro-magnet, an elongated base for said magnet, said base being pivoted at a point remote from the magnet, a-pendulous bar armature for said magnet, said armature being oscillatably mounted, and a switch actuated by the swing of said armature.

3. In an automatic circuit breaker, the combination of a single electro-magnet, a pivoted support therefor, a pendulous bar armature for said magnet, said armature being oscillatably mounted, a. switch actuated by the swing of said armature, and means for adjusting the distance between said magnet and the axis of the armature.

4. In an automatic circuit breaker, the combination of a vertical base plate, an electro-magnet pivoted near the upper edge of said plate, a pendulous lever bar armature for said magnet, said armature being pivotally suspended at a point below the pivot point of said magnet, a switch actu ated by the swing of said armature, a weight carried on said armature, and means for adjusting said weight,

5. In an automatic circuit breaker, the combination of a fixed vertical base plate, an electromagnet pivoted on the upper portion of said plate, an armature pivoted to said plate below the point of suspension of said magnet at one end to swing towards or from said magnet, a switch oscillatably mounted above said armature and below the point of suspension of said magnet, means on the armature to tilt said switch and means in said switch adapted to close the circuit when the switch is in one position, said means opening the circuit when the switch is in another position.

6, An automatic circuit breaker comprising in combination with a vertical support plate of a lever bracket pivoted at one end and slotted arcuately at the other, means for adjustably securing said bracket to said no late, an electro-ma et mounted in said racket, said magnet eing in the electric circuit, a pendulus armature ivoted on said plate, a plate pivoted in a p ane parallel to and above the axis of said armature, means on said armature adapted to contact with said plate near the limits of its oscillatory movement, clips on the ends of said pivoted plate a sealed mercury carrying tube removably engaged. in said clips, contacts in the ends 1 In testimony'whereof We have signed our 1 names to this application.

' ABRAHAM SPRUNG. DAVID H. DARRIN. 

